June 2022 is wrapping up and a bit more Hollywood news is trickling in as the end of the month approaches. It’s time for a round-up!
Netflix laid off roughly 300 employees on Thursday, according to Variety. This round of layoffs is the second since Netflix reported losing 200,000 streaming customers in Q1 (see “Netflix Layoffs“). The company is planning to add an ad-supported tier to stem subscriber losses.
Top Gun: Maverick passed $1 billion at the global box office, only the second film to do so in the Covid era (Spider-Man: No Way Home was the first), according to Deadline. It was #1 at the domestic box office for the weekend, as Jurassic World Dominion is dropping off. Jurassic World Dominion’s world take is approaching $750 million and will likely pass $1 billion as well, although not as quickly as Top Gun: Maverick.
Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures revealed new casting for Dune: Part Two, according to The Hollywood Reporter. French actress Lea Seydoux, who played Madeleine in both Spectre and No Time to Die, is in talks to be added to the movie. This cast also includes newcomers Florence Pugh, Austin Butler, and Christopher Walken, who was recently cast to play the Emperor, according to Deadline. The first part of the Dune remake earned critical acclaim and won six Oscars at the 2022 Academy Awards (see “‘Dune’ Wins Six Oscars“).
Netflix has released a trailer for Volume 2 of Stranger Things Season 4 (trailer below), which will drop on July 1. Volume 1 of Season 4 dropped May 27 with seven episodes. Volume 2 will include only two episodes, but both will be feature-length: Episode 8 at 1:25, and Episode 9 at 2:30. The next season, Season 5, will be the last of the series (see “’Stranger Things’ End Revealed“).
Crunchyroll and Toei Animation inked an agreement that allows Crunchyroll to distribute One Piece Film: Red into U.S. and Canadian theaters. This is the 15th film in the One Piece franchise, and its release will coincide with the IP’s 23rd anniversary this fall. The film will be highlighted at Anime Expo 2022, which includes a panel and a music event starring Steve Aoki. There will also be a One Piece Card Game coming from Bandai in Q4, shortly after the release of the movie (see “‘One Piece Card Game’ Booster Set“).
Hunter Schafer has been cast in the new Hunger Games prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Schafer, who made her acting debut as Jules in HBO’s Euphoria, will play Tigris Snow, Coriolanus’ cousin. This movie was greenlit by Lionsgate back in 2020, and is based on the novel of the same name (see “Another ‘Hunger Games‘”). Source: ICv2
